Early Access = hard mode for indie devs

Early Access may seem like a nice way to gain feedback, but it's not how it looks like.

Let's understand how early access works and whether you should even do it.

A thread 🧵
#indiedev #gamedev

Gaben is entering founder mode

store.steampowered.com/gamerecording

#games #gamedev

Handling a publisher - It's just business

When talking to a publisher, remember that you are now presenting the business case of your game.
Your passion is important, but the publisher is primarily interested in the business side of things.

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#indiedev #gamedev

Watch these videos before you make a game trailer

I learned a lot from these talks by @derek-lieu.com. Everything you need to know is explained here.

Thank you @erasmusmagnus.bsky.social for letting me know about Derek!

#1 tinyurl.com/3txhp4pr
#2 tinyurl.com/bdefdwkb

#indiedev #gamedev

Steam marketing is a marathon, not a sprint.

Isolating yourself for months or years and then start marketing isn't a good strategy. Here's what I would do if I were making a new game from scratch:

A thread 🧵

#gamedev #indiedev

Applying to festivals is a way to win.

Festivals can get you a TON of wishlists. Apply to every festival you can and if you get rejected it's not a big deal.
If the festival has a very special and narrow theme that doesn't fit you and your game, then it's okay to skip it.
#indiedev #gamedev

Is your Steam page sabotaging your game's success?

No matter how much traffic you drive to your Steam page, it won't convert to wishlists if it's not well made.

Here are the most common Steam page mistakes:

A thread 🧵

#indiegame #gamedev

Boost your Steam presence in 15 minutes

Steam has a feature allowing you to create a developer page where you can list all your work. People who follow you will receive notifications about new games you release.

store.steampowered.com/publisher/

#indiedev #gamedev

Making a good demo: dos and don'ts.

A demo unlocks new marketing channels and is the best way to introduce the game to players.

Here are some things to keep in mind to have a great demo:

A thread 🧵

#indiegame #gamedev

Indie devs are not charging enough for their games.

Indies should be comfortable charging more because they deserve more, which is not true for most AAA titles.
Look at your nearest competitor and charge that or a little bit more.
#indiedev #gamedev

3 pillars of commercial game success: Fun, Appeal, and Scope

Fun - to make existing players happy
Appeal - to gain new players and media coverage
Scope - to ensure you can finish the game in a reasonable amount of time
#indiedev #gamedev

Your game genre is important.

When publishing a game on Steam, its genre dictates many of your marketing options and success chances. Steam's platform and user base prefer certain game genres.

More about this in the🧵

#indiedev #gamedev

Hello everyone!

I created this account to share my knowledge of game marketing. I'm active on X under the name IndieViral, and I'll be making content on this platform as well from now on. I'm happy to meet all of you!

#indiedev #indiegame